Pocket-knife



(No Model.)

JfA. NELL- POGKET KNIFE.

No. 600,442. Patented Mar. 8,1898.

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Nrrnn STATES PATENT FFICE.

JAMES ARTHUR NELL, OF WALDEN, NEIV YORK.

POCKET-KNIFE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 600,442, dated March 8, 1898.

Application filed December 8, 1896. Serial No. 614,947. (No model.)

To ttZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES ARTHUR NELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at VValden, in the county of Orange and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pocket-Knives; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to pocket-knives and its object is to provide a simple and practicable means whereby the several blades of the .knife may be forced open without using the finger-nails, thus obviating the breaking of the finger-nails in attempting to open the blades of the knife when said blades are stiff and difficult to manipulate.

lVith this general object in view the invention consists in certain novel features and details of construction, as hereinafter f ully described, illustrated in the drawings, and incorporated in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a scale, showing a form of rei leasing-lever employed. Fig. 2 is an inside face view of the bolster used in connection with the scale shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken through the parts shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and also through a blade. Fig. i. is a detail perspective view showing the tang of a blade used in the construction illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Fig. 5 is a plan view of one end of a scale, showing modified means for holding a blade both in its operative and folded position. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the tang of a blade used with the scale shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail view showing means for preventing the too quick closing of the blade.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

The improvements contemplated in this invention are applicable to any form of folding penknife or pocket-knife, and for the purpose of illustration I have shown the improvements as applied to a knife comprising the opposing scales 1, the back-spring 2,the covers 3, and the bolsters 4. The improvements are also shown as applied to a two-bladed knife, but it will be apparent as the description proceeds that the knife may be equipped with any number of blades from one to four or more.

The blade 5 is provided at its pivoted end with a tang 6, through which passes the pivot 7 of the blade. The tang is also provided with a corner 8 for acting on the spring 2 as the blade is turned. The back-spring is secured in place by rivets 9 or in any suitable manner and is provided at the end adjacent to the blade with an offset 10, against which the corner of the tang bears, and which is adapted to enter a notch 11 in the tang forlocking the blade in its open position.

12 designates the cross-pins for limiting the inward movement of the back-spring 2.

13 designates a leaf-spring which is bowshaped and arranged between the scales 1, being held in place by means of a cross-pin 14 or in any other convenient manner, the upwardly-projecting terminals of said spring serving to kick open the blades when the latter are closed by the mechanism hereinafter described.

One or both of the scales is provided with a longitudinal slot 15, extending from near the blade-pivot toward the center of the scale and having a segmental extension at one end. Intermediate the ends of said slot the edges thereof are indented at opposite points to form sockets 16 for oppositely-extending projections 17 on a leaf-spring 18. 19 designates a lever having a forked outer end mounted upon the outer side of the scale and Workingin the slot 15. This lever is provided with lateral projections 20, which bear against the outer surface of the scale and form the fulcrum of the lever. The lever is held in place by means of the spring 18, which is secured at its end nearest the end of the knife to the lever 19, the opposite end of said spring passing through the slot and bearing against the scale upon its outer side. The lever 19 is provided at its free end with a pin or stud 21, beveled or chamfered on one side.

The tang of the blade is provided with a perforation or socket 22, into which the pin or stud 21 springs as the blade is closed,thereby locking the blade in its closed position. In order to facilitate the closing of the blade, the tang is provided with a chamfered notch 23, which acts against the chamfered side of the stud 21 for pushing said stud outward as the blade is closed. The lever 19 is provided at the end opposite the stud 21 with a shield or push-button 24, which operates through an opening of corresponding shape in the adjacent cover 3 of the knife. By pressing inward on the shield or button 24 the stud on the lever is moved outward and out of engagement with the tang of the blade, thus allowing the spring 13 to kick up the blade 5. By now taking hold of the blade and rocking it into the partially open position the back-spring 2,

will be deflected, and as the blade is opened all the way the offset of the back-spring will enter and engage the notch 11 and lock the blade in its opened position. In closing the blade pressure is applied to the back edge thereof, causing the corner 8 of the tang to depress thespring 2, and upon reaching a partially-closed position the back-spring will act to impart to said blade a constant inward impetus sufficient to enable said blade to overcome the tension of the lighter spring 13 and entirely close within the handle until the stud 21 enters the opening or socket 22 in the tang 6.

The outer end of the lever 19 is forked, as indicated at 25, and the end of the slot is extended in segmental form, as indicated at 26, to receive said fork. The arms of the fork terminate short of the ends of the segmental portion 26 of the slot, so as to leave openings for the reception of a laterally-projecting pin 27 on the tang just at one side of the blade-pivot. This pin sweeps through the arc of the circle corresponding to the segmental portion of the slot 15 and is held at .each end of its throw corresponding to the ably beveled or chamfered on one side, and one end of the fork is also chamfered in order to enable the blade to be folded inward without pressing on the shield or button 24. When, however, the blade is folded, the pin 27 and forkarm present square abutting shoulders, which prevent the opening of the blade until pressure is applied to the shield 24:. In order to accommodate the arms of the fork 25 in their outward movement, the bolster 4 is provided with an annular recess in its inner surface, as indicated at 28.

In Fig. 6 the tang is shown as provided at each side of the blade-pivot and in substantially longitudinal alinement therewith with openings or sockets 29, either one of which is adapted to be engaged by the stud 21 at the free outer end of the lever 19. This provides a very simple and cheap construction. In this last-named construction the corner 8 of the tang may be dispensed with and the back spring may be made stationary, as the necessity for using the back-spring for a lock for the blade is obviated.

In Fig. 7 I have shown means for preventing a blade from closing too quickly. This is accomplished -by providing the tang of the blade with a straight and slightlyoblique edge 30, adapted, when the blade is partially closed, to bear flatly against the end of the back-spring, as shown. This construction will cause the blade to be resisted in its inward movement and will prevent the same from catching and injuring the fingers.

It will be understood that the device above described is susceptible of changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction,which may be accordingly resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificin g any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention,what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-- A pocket-knife, comprising a handle, a pivoted blade, a scale having a longitudinal slot having one end forked or extended to form a segmental slot, a lever mounted in said slot and provided with a forked end movable in the segmental portion of the slot, a stud on the tang of the blade working in said slot, and a spring for pressing said lever inward so that its ends will engage said stud, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES ARTHUR NELL. 

